Well packer with ejectable plug



March 15, 1960 T.'L. CROWE 2,928,469

WELL PACKER WITH EJECTABLE PLUG Filed May 12, 1958 2 SheetsSheet 1INVENTOR. TALMADGE L. CQOWE crrys- March 15, 1960 T. L. CROWE WELLPACKER WITH EJECTABLE PLUG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 12, 1958 If-TTYS-nifi a es WELL PACKER wrrn EJECTABLE PLUG Talmadge L. Crowe, Houston,Tex., assignorto Baker-Oil lools, Inc, Los Angeles, Calif., acorporation of Caliorma Application May 12, 1958, Serial No. 734,718

7 Claims. (Cl. 166126) Another object of the invention is to provide awell packer initially embodying a plug device therein for enabling thepacker to function as a bridge plug in the well bore, the plug devicebeing readily and positively ejectable from the well packer when it isdesired to. opena passage through the latter.

A further object of the invention is to provide a well packer initiallyembodying an ejectable plug device there in so that the packer functionsas a bridge plug; the plug device being capable of withstandingrelatively high fluid pressures and of being easily ejected from thepacker when its passage is to be opened.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a well packerinitially operable as a bridge plug to withstand pressure differentialsin the well bore above the packer, the packer being converted to a wellproduction device having a passage therethrough as an incident ofrunning production tubing through the packer.

an 2,928,469 Patented Mar- 1 1-960 of any suitable form, the onespecifically illustrated in somewhat diagrammatic fashion being moreparticularly.

shown and described in the patent to R. C. 'Baker', 2,703,623, patentedMarch 8, 1 955, for Packer Apparatus.

As disclosed in such patent, the well packer may be lowered in the wellcasing by means of a string of tubing (not shown) and is adapted to behydraulically anchored in packed oft condition therewithin.

The well packer A includes a main body 11 having a packing sleeve 12 ofrubber or rubber-like material there on which has been expandedoutwardly into sealing en gagement with the wall of the well casing.movement of the body 11 of the well packer is prevented by a set ofupper segmental slips 13 held in anchored engagement against the wellcasing by an upper expander 14 which engages the upper end of thepackingstructure 12. A set of lower segmental slips 15 is wedged into anchoringengagement with the well casingB by a lower expander 16 which engagesthe lower end of the packing structure 12. As described in theaforenoted patent, the packer can be anchored in packed-oil condition-inthe well casing as a result of shifting a setting sleeve 17' downwardlyalong the body 11 of the tool, as by elevating the body of the toolafter the upper slips13 have been anchored against the well casing, toforeshorten the packing sleeve 12 and expand it against the wall ofthewell casing, and also to shift the lower slips 15 upwardlyv along thelower expander 16 into anchoring engagement with the well casing.

Thepacker body 11 may include a lower body abut ment 18 against whichthe lower slips 15 bear, whichhasa valve seat 19 surrounding the passage10 through; the packer body adapted to be engaged by a-flapper valve,head 20 pivotally mounted on the body abutment 18 and swingable upwardlyinto engagement with the valve seat.

This invention possesses many other advantages, and

has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from aconsideration of several forms inwhich it may be embodied. Such formsare shown in the draw'-.

ings accompanying and forming partof the present specification. Theseforms will now be described in detail,

for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention;but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to betaken in a limiting sense, since the-scope of the invention is bestdefined by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a combined longitudinal sectionaland side elevational view of a well packer embodying an ejectable plugdevice therein;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the plug device beingejected from the packer;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the the lower 7 portion of theapparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 and 2 after the plug device has beenelected from the well packer;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken along the line 4--4 on tion initially asa bridge plug. The well'packer may be This flapper valve head 20 may bereceived within a slotted junk catcher and pusher 21 suitably secured onthe lower body abutment, all as disclosed in the aforenoted patent. V I

As shown in the form of invention illustrated in" Figs. 1 to 4,-inclusive, the internal diameter of the packeron body 11 has beenreduced by inserting a body liner 22 therewithinhaving. a lowercentering ring 23 suitably. attached to the lower portion of the liner,as by means, of brazingor ascrew (not shown). This centering ring 23engages the wall of the main body 11- of the packen The upper head 24 ofthe body liner is threaded into an 7 internall'ythreaded box 25 of thebody 11 and, in turn, has anupper threaded box 26 for the reception ofa-tubular string (not shown), thetthreaded' boxes normally packer belowthe liner 22, and preferably having sub-i stantially the same insidediameter as the liner 22 This holding sleeve is held in position by alower external flange 28 thereof being received within an internalgroove 29 defined between the lower end of the main body 11 of thepacker and an inwardlydirected portion 30 of the lower body abutment 18.Leakage of fluidaround the, outside of the holding and guide sleeve 27is prevented, by a suitable seal ring 31, such as a rubber or rubberlike0 ring, mounted on the sleeve and sealingly engaging the: wall of thebody. Similarly, leakage of fluid around the exterior of the body liner22 is prevented by a suitable" side seal'32, such as a rubber orrubber-like 0 ring, mounted on the upper portion of theliner-and'sealingl'y engaging the wall of the body 11.

Upward of the holding and guide sleeve 27. The body also in- -cludesaplurality of upwardly extending circumferentially spaced arms or latchelements 35 formed by longitudinal slots 36 extending downwardly fromthe upper end of the body 33, the arms being integral with upper latchelements or fingers 37 extending outwardly into engagement with theupper end 38 of the holding and guide sleeve 27. The fingers have lowerouter tapered surfaces 39 inclined in a downward and inward directionengaging a companion tapered surface 38 at the upper inner portion ofthe holding sleeve 27. The fingers 37 and arms 35 are adapted to springinwardly to an extent sufficient for the fingers to pass down throughthe sleeve 27. However, such inward motion is prevented initially by aretainer and retractor member 40 disposed within the finger portions 37and suitably secured to one of said finger portions, as by means of ashear screw 41. The lower portion 42 of the retainer and retractormember has a diameter to fit behind the fingers 37 and hold themoutwardly in engagement with the tapered end 38 of the holding and guidesleeve 27. The member 40 also possesses a reduced diameter intermediateportion 43 merging into an upper retracting head portion 44 having adiameter conforming to the inside diameter of the body' liner 22 and theholding and guide sleeve 27, the inter mediate portion 43 having alength greaterthan the length of the fingers 37, sothat the latter canmove inwardly between the lower retaining portion 42 and the upper headretracting portion 44.

The retracting head 44 has a lower-tapered surface 45 inclined in anupward and inward direction which is adapted to engage correspondinglytapered surfaces 46 at the upper portions of the fingers 37 such thatengagement of the head surface with such finger surfaces forces thefingers inwardly, to remove them from engagement with the upper end 38 fthe holding and guide sleeve 27. The retainer and retractor member 40has a passage 48 therethrough to prevent fluid pressure to act thereonand shift it from its retaining position. The passage allows fluidpressure in the body and liner passage to act both above and below theretainer and retractor member,

and be equalized since it can act over equal and opposite areas. Thus,the fluid pressure will not only pass through the passage 48, but alsothrough the slots 36 into the holding and guide sleeve 27, as well asinto the body 11 of the well packer between the seal rings 31, 32, the

centering ring 23 allowing fluid to pass thereby. However, such fluidpressure cannot pass downwardly of the plug body 33 because of the sealring 34 on the latter,

and further in view of the fact that a plug extension 49 which isthreadedly secured into the plug body 33 closes the central passage 50through the latter. This plug extension 49 is engageable with theflapper valve head 20 when'the fingers 37 engage the upper end 38 of theholding and guide sleeve 27 to retain the flapper valve head 20 to oneside and. insure that the plug C can be subsequently ejected from thewell packer when its presence is no longer desired.

The well packer A is run in the well casing B and is anchored in'packed-off condition therewithin with the ejectable plug device Cmounted in the body 11 of the packer, such as disclosed in Fig. 1. Thewell packer then actually constitutes a bridge plug, permitting certainpresward direction on the well packer, the expandible plug C- t 4 z isnot shiftable downwardly by the presence of fluid pressure thereabovesince there is no pressure differential acting on this member. Thefingers 37 are held out against the tapered end 38 'of the holding andguide sleeve 27, the downward pressure imposed on the plug beingincapable of urging the fingers inwardly without destroying the retainerand retractor member 40. Acco'rdingly, the retainer and retractor member40 positively locks the fingers 37 in their outer position to hold theplug C in place. By way of example, it has been found that the entireplug device will hold about 4,000 p.s.i. pressure differential safely.

After the operation above the packer requiring its use as a bridge plughas been completed, the expendable plug C can be ejected and removedcompletely from the well packer, to open the passage 10 therethrough.Such opening will occur as an incident to lowering production tubing Dthrough the packer, so as to conduct well production from a regiontherebelowinto the tubing perforations 55 and upwardlythrough the tubingD to the top,

of the well bore. After the lower end of the tubing enters the packer Aand comes to rest upon the retainer and retractor member 40, a downwardweight can be imposed on this tubing, and when it exceeds the strengthof the shear screw 41,- which, by Way of example, might require about2500 pounds for its disruption, the shear screw is sheared by theretainer and retractor member 40, allowing the latter to move downwardlywithin the arms 35 i of the plug body 33, the lower retaining portion 42of the retainer and retractor member shifting below the fingers 37 andthe upper tapered head portion 44 coming into engagement with thetapered ends 46 of the fingers I 37, forcing the fingers inwardly andcompletely from turn,- threadedly receiving the lower body abutment 18ahaving the flapper valve seat 19 and pivotally carrymg engagement withthe upper holding shoulder 38 of the holding and guide sleeve 27 (seeFig. 2). Thedownward movement of the production tubing string D cancontinue, which will then force the complete plug C downwardly and outof the packer, the retractor and retainer 40 sliding from' the lower endof the body liner 22 into the sleeve 27 and moving down through thesleeve and past the valve head 20, from which position it will drop downinto the well bore to a lower location where it cannot interfere withthe securing of production from the zone in the 'well bore below the setposition of the well packer, If the production tubing D is now removed,the flapper valve head 20 can swing upwardly into engagement with itscompanion valve seat 19 to prevent upward flow of fluidthrough the wellpacker A, as shown in Fig. 3. However, the production tubingD willnormally remain extending through the well packer and a the wall of thebody liner 22 to prevent leakage of fluid around the exterior of theproduction tubing (in a known manner); I v

In the form of invention shown in Fig. 5, the expendable plug device Cis essentially the same in the other form of the invention. However, itis releasably secured in a well packer that does not possess a liner nora holding and guide sleeve separately installed within the body 11of-the tool. Instead, the packer body includes a body extension 11awhich is threaded onto thelower part of the main body 11 of the tool,this body extension, in

the flapper valve head 20. This lower body abutment 18a also carries thefeeler and junk pusher 21, as in the other form of the invention.

The expendable plug device C is mounted within the main body 11 of thetool and within thevbody extension 11a, sealing off against the walletthe latter and with the fingers, 37 initially resting upon the inwardlyand downwardly tapering lock surface 38a on the bodyex tension. Theupper retracting head-44 of the retainer and retractor device 40slidably engages the wall of the remaining in place. The retainenandretractor member main body 11 of the well packer, this wall having sub-46 at the upper portions of the fingers 37 to deflect the latterinwardly from engagement with the lock surface 38a, whereupon the entireexpendable plug can be ejected fully from the well packer.

The inventor claims:

1. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore andincluding a body having a passage and means thereon for securing saidbody in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluidtherethrough, latch means on said plug engaging said body to hold saidplug against downward movement in said passage, retaining means engagingsaid latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said body;and means for shifting said retaining means from said latch means topermit release of said latch means from said body and ejection of saidplug from said passage. 7

2. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a body having apassage and means thereon for securing said body in the well bore; aplug in said passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough; latch meanson said plug engaging said body to hold said plug against downwardmovement in said passage; and means engageable with said latch means towithdraw said latch means from holding relation to said body to allowsaid plug to be ejected from said passage.

3. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore andincluding a body having a passage and means thereon for securing saidbody in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fluidtherethrough, latch means on said plug engaging said body to hold saidplug against downward movement in said passage, retaining means engagingsaid latch means to prevent release of said latch means from said body;means for shifting said retaining means from said latch means and forengaging said retaining means with said latch means to withdraw saidlatch means from holding relation to said body to allow said plug to beejected from said passage.

4. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore andincluding a body having a passage and means thereon for securing saidbody in the well bore, a plug in said passage to prevent flow of fiuidtherethrough, said plug having a plurality of latch elements; said bodyhaving a shoulder engaged by said latch elements, a retainer memberdisposed behind said elements to hold them in engagement with saidshoulder to prevent downward movement of said plug from said passage;and

means for shifting said retainer member downwardly from holdingengagement with said elements to allow said plug to be ejected from saidpassage.

5. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a. body having apassage and means for securing said body in the well bore; a plug insaid passage to prevent fiow of fluid therethrough; said plug having aplurality of latch elements; said body having a shoulder engaged by saidlatch elements; a retainer and retractor member including a lowerretainer portion disposed behind said elements to hold them inengagement with said shoulder to prevent downward movement of said plugfrom said passage, said member including an upper retractor portionengageable with said elements to shift them inwardly from engagementwith said shoulder to allow said plug to be withdrawn from said passage.

6. In a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore: a body having apassage and means for securing said body in the well bore; a plug insaid passage to prevent flow of fluid therethrough; said plug having aplurality of latch elements; said body having a shoulder engaged by saidlatch elements; a retainer and retractor member including a lowerretainer portion disposed behind said elements to hold them inengagement with said shoulder to prevent downward movement of said plugfrom said passage, said member including an upper retractor portionengageable with said elements to shift them inwardly from engagementwith said shoulder to allow said plug to be withdrawn from said passage;and means releasably securing said member to said plug with saidretainer portion disposed behind said elements.

7. In combination: a well packer adapted to be set in a well bore andincluding a body having a passage and means thereon for securing saidbody in the well bore, said body having a valve seat surrounding saidpassage, a valve member movable upwardly into engagement with seat, aplug in said passage having a plurality of latch elements, said bodyhaving a shoulder engaged by said latch elements, a retainer devicedisposed behind said elements to hold them in engagement with saidshoulder to prevent downward movement of said plug from said passage andto hold said plug in engagement with said valve member to prevent saidvalve member from engaging said seat; and means for shifting saidretainer member downwardly from holding engagament with said elements toallow said plug to be ejected from said passage and from engagement withsaid valve member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS FreddApr. 28, 1959

